what happened in the apartment
by etotheswan
Summary: Takes place in 3x17 - after the magic lessons and before Hook's interruption.


**A/N: Everyone wants to know what happened between magic lessons and Hook's interruption. Here's my take on it.**

Emma opened the door to Mary Margaret and David's apartment. To her surprise, it was empty, only the kitchen light left on. "Guess we're alone," Emma said with a small shrug of her shoulders. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked, glancing behind her at Regina.

"Tea. Tea would be lovely," Regina answered, her eyebrows raising at the end of her sentence. She watched as Emma moved around the counter and then over to the tea kettle. There was a familiarity in her movements that was somewhat calming considering the situation.

"So, Mary Margaret has Earl Grey or," Emma squinted her eyes and peered at the other tea box. "_Time in a Bottle_?" She raised an eyebrow and let out a small laugh. "I'm not even sure what that's supposed to taste like."

"Earl Grey is fine."

"Great." Emma readied the cup and the tea bag before grabbing a cup for herself. She emptied a packet of hot chocolate mix into the cup and fished two spoons out of the dish rack. She couldn't quite understand why her heart was beating so fast, but it was something she was getting used to when it came to being around Regina. She decided to chalk it up to nerves, even though there was no reason to fear the other woman now.

Regina walked over towards the counter. "I can take these to the table, if you'd like."

"Uh, sure," Emma responded, her voice rising somewhat at the end. "I mean, yeah, that'd be great." She brought her eyes up and watched Regina reach forward with her ungloved hands, the right one shaking slightly as she wrapped her fingers around the handle of the mug. She moved her eyes up to Regina's face and noticed the sheer concentration that seemed to be happening and it hit her that maybe she was nervous, as well. It made sense that both women were not sure how to handle the situation, given their past.

The tea kettle started to hum and then the whistle sounded. Emma spun around, turned off the stove burner and then picked up the kettle. She made her way over to the where Regina was now seated and filled up both mugs, setting the kettle on the trivet that was always in the center of the table.

"Still using hot chocolate out of a packet I see," Regina commented, her eyes never leaving her mug of steaming hot liquid.

Emma smiled and then laughed a bit before she said, "It's funny that you say that because in New York I actually always made it from scratch."

"That is funny," Regina said softly, her eyes drifting up to Emma's.

"Was that from you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Regina asked, picking up her mug and blowing on the hot tea. She kept her eyes on Emma's now, knowing what she meant, but needing to hear her actually voice it.

"I mean," Emma started, looking at Regina and then blushing, pulling her eyes off of the other woman. "I don't know. I guess I just figured there were some memories that you kind of implanted in me."  
Regina set her mug down and simply said, "I see."

"Like, I could _cook_. Which was really strange, because honestly, before this, I could only ever cook eggs."

"Eggs?"

"Yes, eggs. It was easy and protein and what else would I need to know how to make as a single woman? Eggs. Cereal. Mac and cheese. Ramen noodles." Emma smiled before she sipped on her hot chocolate. "But in New York… I could _cook_. I guess I still can. But it was nice. And I knew how to make _really _great hot chocolate."

Regina pulled her gaze from Emma and looked across the apartment. "I suppose a few of your new found skills may have come from me."

"I knew it," Emma hissed, a laugh escaping her throat. "The clothes, too, right?" She asked, leaning forward. She watched Regina's lips curve into a smile. "You let me keep the red jacket, though."

Regina nodded. "I guess you could say that."

"And the bug."

"You needed to be able to get around."

"Mmhmm." Emma smiled before she leaned back into her chair. "Anything else?"

Regina looked down at her hands, her nails, her ring, her _power_. "His firsts." She heard Emma's intake of breath but didn't dare look at the blonde. Looking at her now would only stop the onslaught of words that were coming to her like a waterfall and for some reason, she needed to speak. "Steps. Words. Injuries. Sicknesses."

"Regina," Emma whispered.

"A good life, Emma," Regina said quietly. "I wanted you to have it."

"Well," Emma started, her voice catching in her throat. "I had it. And more. So, thank you."

Regina brought her eyes up and looked at Emma. "You're welcome."

"And thank you for not killing me today," Emma added with a subtle look of admiration.

Regina let out a laugh, far more boisterous than normal and then blushed. "Oh, Emma, I thought you were gone for a brief second."

"Me, too," Emma remarked, her head shaking back and forth, her laugh indicating the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. "I honestly never thought I could do it. I'm sure you felt the same way."

"About you?"

"Yeah."

Regina brought her mug up to her lips and before sipping, she said, "I have always believed in you."

"You have?"

Regina nodded, her eyes serious. "Why do you think I was so afraid of you?"

Emma looked down at the table and busied her hands by twisting the wrapper to a tea bag from Mary Margaret's drink from earlier. Her mind flashed back to that first meeting and the nerves and the clammy hands and the shaky voices. "I'm sorry. For all of that."

"Emma," came Regina's voice, soft, true, filled with feeling. "You're not the only one that needs to apologize."

"I know," Emma responded. "I just… After what you did for me, for Henry, I know you only ever wanted to be happy with him. You gave me what you wanted. And that," Emma pulled a shaky breath into her lungs and released it through her nose, "That means so _fucking _much to me."

Regina smiled as she reached forward and put a hand over Emma's fidgeting ones. "Look at me," she said with a voice she never thought she'd use while speaking to Emma Swan. And when the blonde looked up at her, those green eyes locking onto hers, she felt something stir in the vacant spot where her heart normally resided. Those eyes were so green and so calm and so many other things that Regina never thought she'd need to see. "You are everything -"

But her words were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Both women whipped their heads towards the sound. "That's probably Henry and Hook," Emma said with just a hint of disappointment.

"Yes, I'm sure it is the pirate with our son," Regina said, pulling her hand away and letting it fall to her lap. Her mind was swirling and if she had to let someone feel her pulse right now they'd think she just finished conjuring a million fireballs.

Emma smiled at Regina again before she stood up and went over to the door. She could feel Regina's eyes on her and for some reason, the nerves she felt earlier had dissipated and were replaced with nothing but butterflies. As she swung open the door to see Hook standing there, the brief moment of anticipation was fleeting and far different from anything she had felt with Regina.

"Swan? I didn't expect to see you here…" came Hook's voice.

And Regina's empty chest cavity ached far worse than she ever thought was possible.


End file.
